Programme of the IV. Public Diplomacy Forum 2015

Global challenges of the 21st century ask for a more collaborative diplomacy among states and between states and a growing number of other international actors. This is especially the case for the provision of global public goods (GPGs) such as security and climate. Due to changing trade patterns and rapid changes in digital technology, public goods like knowledge and culture are becoming more contested, also in relations between China and Europe. GPGs are challenged whenever the consumption of shared resources is not balanced with the needs of the wider community.

Keynote speech about 30 min
On Cooperation and Global GovernanceDirk Messner, Director of the German Development Institute

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Coffee break (Room 2.8)

Session I
“A common basis of understanding: Chinese and European positions on GPGs”
Does the public diplomacy of China, European governments and the EU reveal a common understanding of global challenges?

Is there a competition of ideas on addressing GPGs, if so in which areas and what is the scope for sharing each other’s perspectives?

Is there merit in conceiving public diplomacy for GPGs in terms of its contribution to international security?

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Perspectives from China (20 min, 10 min q/a)Huang Youyi: Why China’s Global Public Good is the One Belt and One Road Proposal

Session II
“Comparative approaches: Towards public diplomacy in an international realm”
How do China and Europe present their cases for the provision of Global Public Goods in different fields (e.g. security, trade) in the international arena?

What are the similarities and differences in the ways China and Europe try to influence foreign public opinion and what instruments do they use?

How are domestic publics targeted or actively engaged in public diplomacy strategies?

How does growing interconnectedness between China and Europe in an expanding transnational realm impact on approaches towards public diplomacy?

02:30 – 03:30 p.m. Discussion in plenum incl. 5 min. case study China by Wang Yiwei: What Will the One
Belt and One Road Initiative Provide to GPGs? 5 min. case study Europe by Shaun Breslin: Non-Traditional Security for Who/What? Between the International, the National and the Human

Session III
“Trends in Diplomacy of China and Europe and their influence on GPG governance”
What are the opportunities and obstacles in China-Europe relations of digital diplomacy in the interest of GPGs?

How relevant is the distinction between public diplomacy and diplomacy in general, and how do China and Europe experience current change in diplomatic practice?

Is there a common understanding in China-Europe relations on the interdependence between domestic and global publics?

What is the potential of developing collaborative public diplomacy initiatives between China and Europe that aim at GPG provision, and is this influenced by relations with other big powers (the US, Russia)?

11:30 – 12:00 p.m. Flash back
3 min. statements by 2 other members of the delegation of ChinaChu Yilin and Yin Shengyuan and
2 other members of the delegation of EuropeJay (Jian) Wang and Bharat H. Desai

Summarizing feedback by a speaker from China Zhao Kejin

12:00 – 01:00 p.m. Lunch (Room 5.1/5.3)

Session IV

Workshop “Berlin Consensus”

01:30 – 02:30 p.m. Separate group meetings of the Chinese and the European delegation (Room 1.1/1.2)

02:30 – 03:00 p.m. Coffee break

03:00 – 04:30 p.m. Common plenum:
Design of a common draft

Thank you and farewell by the organizers

05:00 p.m. End of the conference

05:30 p.m. Departure by bus (BVB) to the Hotel Park Plaza Wallstreet

Departure of the European speakers
Chinese Delegation: Free time for your own arrangements (except core team)